Steward School

Our mission is to prepare our students for college and for life in a community defined by robust academics, inspiration, engagement, and care.

The Steward story began in 1972, when educational pioneer Helen Dixon founded the school in a church basement in the west end of Richmond, as a small, non-sectarian, co-educational alternative to the larger private schools in the area. During the 1972-73 school year, there were 12 faculty members and 90 students in grades K-10. The school soon moved to a new building at the corner of Gayton and Ryandale Roads, and in 1977, a graduating class of three students became the first Steward alumni.

Ronald Messersmith served as the first Steward headmaster, a position he held from 1972-75. With six organized sports teams in the school’s first year, the nickname “Spartans” was chosen, perhaps because the young school was characterized by the “austerity, frugality, simplicity, and courage” of its founding, according to the book "A Story of Success" by the school’s second headmaster, Paul R. Cramer. Mr. Cramer is considered to have transformed The Steward School during his 19-year tenure, 1975-94.

In 1994, the Board of Trustees named Stephen Stackhouse the third headmaster, and he remained in this role through 1997, coincidentally the school’s 25th anniversary. It was also in 1997 that Steward received an anonymous $15 million gift, setting the wheels in motion for significant improvements to the campus layout and serving as a true investment in the school’s future. At the time of the gift, 279 students were enrolled in grades K-12 at Steward.

Roger Coulombe was named Steward’s fourth headmaster in 1997, and his tenure was a period of time that saw extensive construction on campus. Mr. Coulombe served the school until his retirement in 2004, and was succeeded by Kenneth Seward as the fifth headmaster that same year. Mr. Seward remained in the position until 2013, when Dan Frank stepped into the head of school role.